The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-12-31

and with a great sob she threw her
self upon me and nervously clasped
me about the neck, hysterically cry
ing
"It's Jimmy it's Jimmy
"Then | cried, too, John. just
broke down and cried like IA baby.
She got me into the house, hugging
and kissing me, and then she went
to the back door and shouted,
'Georger
Father came in in moment and
from the kichen asked
"What do you want, Car'line 2
"Then he came in. He knew me
in a moment. He stuck out his
hand, and grasped mine and said
sternly: We'll young man, do you
propose to behave yourself now?"
"He tried to put on a brave front,
but he broke down. There we three
sat like whipped school children, all
whimpering. At last supper time
came and mother went out to pre-
pare it. I went into the kitchen
with her.
"Where do you live, Jimmy she
asked.
"In New York." l replied.
"What are you working at now,
Jimmy?"
"I'm working in a dry goods
store
"Then | suppose you don't live
very high, for / hear tell of them
city clerks what don't get money
enough to keep body and soul to-
gether. So I'll Just tell you, Jimmy
we got nothin' but roast spare-rib-
for supper. We amt got any mon
ey now, Jimmy. We're poorer nor
Jobs turkey"
Il told heri that l would be de-
lighted with the spare-ribs, and to
tell the truth, John, 1 haven't eaten
a meal in New York that tasted so
well as those crisp roasted spare-ribs
did. Ispent the evening playing
checkers with father, while mother
sat by telling me all about their mis-
fortunes from old white mooley get
ting drowned in the pond to fathers
signing note for Il friend and hav-
ing to mortgage the place to pay it.
The mortgage was due inside of
week and not a cent to meet it with
Just $500. She supposed they
would be turned out of the house
and home, but in my mind 1 sup
posed they wouldn't. At last nine
o'clock came, and father said;
Jim, go out to the barn and see
if Kit is all right. Bring in an arm
full of old shingles that are Just in
side of the doorand fill up the water
pail. Then we'll get off to bed and
get up early and go a-fshing."
81 didn't say a word, but / went
out to the barn, bedded down the
horse, broke up an armful of shing-
les, pumped pail of water, filled
the woodbox, and then we went to
bed.
"Father called me at 4.3O in the
morning, and while he was getting
a cup of coffee skipped over to the
depot, crossing lots, and got my best
bass rod. Father took nothing but
a trolling line and spoon hook. He
rowed the boat with his trolling line
in his mouth, while l stood in the
stern with silver sinner rugged on.
Now, John, l never saw a man catch
fish like he did. 70 make long
story short, he caught four bass and
five pickerel and | never got bite.
"At noon we went ashore and fa-
ther went home while | went to the
post-oflice. | got a letter from Chi
cago with check in it for $1,000.
With some trouble l got it cashed.
getting paid in S. and $40 bills.
making quite roll. | then got of
beef and Il lot of delicacies and had
them sent home. After that T went
visiting among my schoolmates for
two hours and went home. The
joint was in oven. Mother had put
on her only silk dress, and father
had donned his Sunday-go-to-meet-
ing clothes, none too good, either.
This Is where / played a joke on the
old folks. Mother was in the kitch-
en- watching the roast. Father was
out in the barn and | had a clear
coast. | dumped the sugar out of
the blue bowl, put the thousand
dollars in it. and placed the cover on
again. At last, supper was ready.
Father asked blessing over it, and
he actually tremblen when he stuck,
his knife in the roast.
eve haven't had piece of meat
like this in five years, Jim he said,
and mother put in with, "And we
haven't had any coffee in a year. only